Former Goa CM Luizinho Faleiro to join TMC ahead of polls?

Former Goa chief minister and incumbent Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro is likely to join the Trinamool Congress on Monday, sources claimed on Sunday.

The TMC has already announced its plans to contest the next year's Goa Assembly elections.

Amid rumours of him joining the Mamata Banerjee-led party, Faleiro has called a press conference on Monday where he would make an “important announcement.”

When contacted, Faleiro refused to clarify whether he is joining the TMC on Monday. “I am in deep meditation. I am reading everything. One thing I will tell you (that) people of Goa are suffering, somebody has to stand up,” he said on Sunday.

“I will offer comments at an appropriate time,” the former chief minister added. TMC leader Derek O'Brien told PTI on Saturday in Goa that the party will be contesting the upcoming Assembly polls and they were in touch with several local leaders.

He had said that the TMC will announce its chief ministerial candidate soon. Reacting to the TMC's announcement to contest the polls, the Congress on Sunday issued a statement saying Goans have full faith in the Congress "which has respected the sentiments and emotions of the people".

“Goans will never fall prey for political gambles and gimmicks and will never compromise on Goa's identity,” said the statement signed by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar and Congress Legislative Party president Digambar Kamat.

Faleiro was credited with devising strategies and stitching alliances that led to the formation of governments in Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. In 2013, he was chairman of the Karnataka Pradesh Assembly Elections Screening Committee.

In the 2017 Assembly elections in Goa, Congress won the highest 17 seats in the 40-member House restricting the BJP to 13. However, surprising the Congress, the saffron party allied with regional parties and formed government under the leadership of senior leader Manohar Parrikar.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already thrown its hat in the ring ahead of the polls, with the party's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announcing free power up to 300 units per month and 80% jobs for locals if his party is voted to power during his recent visit to Panaji.

Check out latest videos from DH: